


Astral Genealogy: Wight Constellation

by SGMijumaru



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Adventure, Adventure & Romance, F/M, Multi, Romance, pokemonoc, pokemonpointofview
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-20 08:13:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30001905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SGMijumaru/pseuds/SGMijumaru
Summary: In the dying world of Etheria, legend has it that a Cosmog raised by royalty will evolve into a legendary Pokémon that fills the world with light. Leos Aska—a young, adventurous Oshawott prince—is the only one who can bring Cosmog to evolution. But first, he must make the world’s hardest and important decision ever: choosing a marriage partner!His only options are Prem, his childhood boyfriend; Griselle, a reliable hybrid Pokémon; or Kristen, his beautiful and dedicated retainer. Whoever he chooses will come at a grave cost. Can Leos learn to let his feelings guide him, or will the world be eclipsed by darkness spurred on by vengeance, jealousy, and the twisted truth behind Etheria’s legend? In this adventure-heavy romance, emotions will clash with ideals and reality in a tragic tale spanning generations.Artwork by: https://www.deviantart.com/starlightnexus-chan





	1. A Legend Set in Motion! Prem and the Poipole!

**Episode 1: A Legend Set In Motion! Prem and the Poipole!**

“I can do this,” Prem said to himself repeatedly. He believed he was capable of more than the average Pikachu, but as it turned out, he didn’t do well in cold weather. He was on a journey to the depths of Mount Limber, a mystery dungeon made entirely of ice in Faernia’s less inhabited reaches. It was a rescue mission as simple as all the ones before it: explore the region and save any Pokémon in need. His teammates had insisted he stop hours ago, but he wanted the time alone to his thoughts.  
“I’m not going to freeze here,” he whispered, scouting intently. The path ran underneath a sheet of ice, while a blizzard howled through the caves around him. It was colder than a winter sea and enough to leave his whole body numb. Stretching or jogging didn’t help like he thought it would.

He shivered as he pulled his Mega Charizard-styled poncho over himself, his breath causing his view to frost. “ _No._ _If I stop moving, I’ll freeze. I have to keep going. Leos wouldn’t give up here, either._ ”

The thought made him raise his head, and his face became fierce. He knew he didn’t have to be here. But if there was even one Pokémon that could be saved in the centre of this place, then that was all the reason he needed to push himself this hard. So he pressed on, tensing up to use Flash, and his yellow body began to glow like a torchlight. Right now, an old friend was irrelevant. It didn’t matter if he had feelings for Leos or not. They didn’t matter anymore.

“Don’t kill yourself. Don’t kill yourself. Don’t kill yourself.” He shuffled across the ice to drown out the heavy sound of hail on the ceiling. All around him was all kinds of ice: black ice, sticky ice, the frostbite kind, even that nasty snow-like stuff that’s too mushy to make a snowmon out of. The walls were solid and straight, lined with icicles and thick enough to reflect his yellow glow. Even with his best efforts to light up the dungeon, he couldn’t see a single soul, nor could he hear one, either.

“Just a bit further. Just a bit further. Just a bit further.” He changed words for some positivity. His trek brought him to a tall wall with ledges of black ice sticking out in places, which looked to be an easy climb. He stretched in preparation, but quickly retracted. Just that movement made him feel like his arms were going to fall off.

Despite that, he braced for the worst as he threw himself into it with a cry that echoed through the area. He landed on the first ledge and immediately leapt for the next one. From ledge to ledge without rest all the way until he reached the top, where he finally slipped and fell. He yelled and writhed, rubbing his backside.

“Ah… hurts so much,” he coughed. As he sat back breathing hard through his mouth, he came to realise how worn out he was. A little tumble like that wouldn’t normally hurt him this much, but here he was, feeling like his back had split in two. Maybe he was already frozen. Just waiting for a feral predator to show up and make a meal out of him. He slowly fell back, where his view of the black sky grew dim as he couldn’t summon the energy to stand. “ _I can’t be this pathetic. I have to keep going._ ”

Those thoughts wouldn’t stop, and his body burned with every breath. He managed to sit up to take one last look around. His hands hovered over his bag to bail out with an Escape Orb. Above him was the darkness of a cloud-covered sky. The walls around him shone a range of blues and whites, all the way down the slope ahead. He had to blink twice as he realised that his yellow glow had stopped when he hurt himself. The cave should have been in complete darkness again.

“What?” he whispered. He strained to walk on all fours, a sharp spike of pain with every step. The colours of the icy walls grew richer the further he went, right until he reached the source at the bottom. There, he stood up and gasped in awe.

A wall made of a myriad of colours stood tall before him. It looked like a mosaic made of all the colours of the rainbow and more, and all of it shone and sparkled with natural light. Prem glanced back and forth between the wall and the ceiling, and laughed at the natural wonder he’d discovered.

Sights like these were exactly why he loved to explore. Scenes that were chance encounters but left memories that would last a lifetime. He couldn’t get enough of that experience, especially when it was shared with others. This trip was worth it after all.

“Leos would love to see this _,_ ” he whispered. This was exactly the kind of scene where he would happily wrap an arm around Leos’ back, and then the two would sit there and relax, soaking in the atmosphere. That was the thing that completed experiences like this, but the thought made him frown.

“ _Leos isn’t here anymore. C’mon Prem, that was a year ago. Stop being so stupid and pathetic!_ ” He shook himself again and clenched his fists. He gazed up at the wall one last time, and his heart sped up. Something was there that kept him staring, made him nervous. He stepped closer and squinted, and then nearly had a heart attack when he realised.

As he moved around, so did the colours of the wall due to the way the light refracted. However, one large purple section didn’t move, nor did that section fit in with the mosaic theme. The more he stared, the more he realised that purple spot was a living thing. He stopped dwelling on it and whipped his tail into an Iron Tail attack.

He threw himself at the ice and spun his whole body so that his tail slashed it, shattering it in one strike. Only a section broke off, but it was enough to free the Pokémon. It landed in the middle of a rain of clear shards with a light thud.

He’d never seen anything like it. This insect-like Pokémon had three stingers on its head, one for each ear and a large one in the middle. After a moment to catch his breath, Prem warily lifted the tiny thing, letting its short stubs for hands and feet dangle. Its front side and face was a bright pink. It was as frigid as the area, so he trembled as he dared to feel for a pulse, and flinched when he felt one.

“It’s alive. Gods, its alive,” he whispered, hoping it would wake up right there. Struggling to keep a hold of the Pokémon, he retrieved his Escape Orb and cast it above him. The orb flashed and surrounded him in a pillar of light, which he vanished into.

In the blink of an eye, he was back outside of the mystery dungeon with the Pokémon still in his arms. Inside of the cave he’d at least been protected from the hail, if not the cold, but now that he was outside, there was no respite from either. It didn’t take long before he was sinking into the snow too, and he raised his head in numbing agony. If he didn’t hurry, his waist was going to fall off.

“Guys!” Prem called, barely able to move. Not far from him was a caravan he and his team used, a compact room driven by metal wheels and an electric engine. An Alolan Ninetales just outside of it looked over when he called.

“Prem!” he cried, bolting toward him. The rest of the team, a Raboot and a Morgrem, came out of the caravan and weren’t far behind. A few minutes later, the group were gathered inside, where they warmed up thanks to a small fire.

“Four hours! Honestly Prem, you had us worried sick,” Ninetales said, its tails stretched high. “I’m the ice type. If you were planning a full trip, you should’ve made me go instead.”

“Never mind that. I’m okay now, thanks to you,” Prem said, paws held over the campfire. Being indoors now, his bruises and scratches were poorly hidden. “More importantly, do any of you recognise this species?”

“I have been thinking about it since you came in. I cannot make any connections,” Morgrem said. She scratched her chin while she mixed a brew above the fire. The purple Pokémon was wrapped up beside her, breathing calmly. “I have never seen anything like it. To think that something like this was frozen in such a desolate place.”

Raboot didn’t say anything at all, crouched to get a better look at the creature. He kept his paws in his fur pockets while he sniffed it, but he didn’t get a reaction at all.

“Out of the way now,” Morgrem said, blowing the steam off a spoon. She delicately fed the Pokémon her brew, surprised to have it respond and swallow without her help. It cringed and started to shuffle and mumble, so she put it back down. “I know it is horribly bitter, but please try to withstand it.”

Prem let out a breath, gesturing everyone aside so that he was the first thing it saw when it woke up. He was a little intimidated by its eyes, which slowly opened to reveal a pure cyan glow. Its mouth was the same, pure cyan within. Even its tongue was that alien.

“Huh. A-ah, I’m awake. I’m awake I’m awake I’m awake I’m awake! Hallelujah, I’m awake!” The Pokémon shot up. It spun and danced with swirly movements, but quickly hit the ceiling with a thump before anyone could give warning. It fell into Prem’s face, and the two nearly fell over.  
“A-are you okay?” Prem took note that the Pokémon was still as cold as he was. Just touching it like this flared up his frostbite, and he grunted in an effort not to scrunch up his face.

The Pokémon blinked continuously, clearly lost in a daze for a moment. “It was you. You got me out of the ice. Thank you so much!”

Prem didn’t know how to respond. This little thing sounded more adorable than it looked, and even more in motion. Its voice was high-pitched and smooth, like that of a bright young boy. Before he could figure out what to say, the Pokémon dove in and nuzzled itself right into his cheek.

“A-ah ouch, wait, stop,” Prem tried to pull himself free of the pain. He quickly realised just how frail the Pokémon was, and refrained from putting any force. This Pokémon was lighter than expected, and its grip was no more delicate than a newborn. Any force might hurt it, so he put up with its excessive affection. It wasn’t showing any signs of stopping, so he made his cheeks crackle a little bit to get it to back off.

“Oooh, you can glow. Your cheeks glow.” The Pokémon said, a hand on its lip as it admired Prem up close.

Prem groaned. He had to fix his poncho and look away to keep from blushing. “What’s with you?”

A low rumble was his answer, and the Pokémon slumped, rubbing its belly. “The hungry. I have the hungry and my tummy hurts.”

“I imagine that’s a given.” He retrieved an apple from his bag and offered it, while his team got to work on a proper meal. The Pokémon eyed the fruit, a hand going to its lip again.

“Is this for me? Is this food?”

“Uh, yes? Have you never seen an apple before?” Prem raised an eyebrow.

“Yay!” it squeaked. It snatched the fruit and stuffed it down its gullet, seeds, stem and all, and then begged for more. Seeing the Pokémon as an insect before, Prem wasn’t expecting the Pokémon to eat with its mouth, but that was what it did.

“At least it isn’t a picky eater,” Ninetales said to the others. Prem shrugged, handing it more of his rations. Apples, biscuits, and a canteen of water. Minutes later and it was flat on its back rubbing a full belly, surrounded by crumbs. With how content it looked, he wasn’t even mad that it ate everything he had.

“So delicious. Real food is yummy,” it mumbled.

“Um, excuse me,” Prem said.

“Oh. Oh!” The Pokémon floated up to Prem, but he pushed away from the cuddle this time. “You saved me again. You saved me from the hungry. Thank you!”

Prem couldn’t himself from blushing this time. “Urf. Excuse me but, what Pokémon are you? We’ve never seen your species before.”

“What Pokémon am I? Oh no, I forgot, I am in this world now,” the Pokémon cried. “Or am I? I do not know. Please tell me where I am.”

“We’re at the foot of Mount Limber. I found you frozen in ice.” Prem pointed out the window.

“Then I am here. I made it! But barely. And you are the one who saved me. That means you are the saviour! And your cheeks can glow, too. You make light. This world has light because of you,” the Pokémon said, getting more excited with every word.

“Please calm down. I’m just a Pikachu, nothing special.” Prem tugged at his poncho. “I’m the leader of this rescue team. We’re just doing our job.”

“Sometimes I feel like it’s just your job.” Ninetales turned away. Morgrem pinched him.

“But I saw light from your cheeks!” The Pokémon pointed.

“That’s something Pikachu can do. Lots of Pokémon species can do that.” Prem tapped his cheek to let out a light spark. “It’s how I use my electric attacks. But enough about me. What about you?”

“This kid’s a funny one,” Ninetales said.

“Be wary, but be kind,” Morgrem said. Raboot grumbled, looking like he was half paying attention.

“But you saved me twice. You have to be special. You are the Radiant One, are you?” the Pokémon said. Prem went totally stiff.

“The Radiant One? Way to praise. Have you really never seen a Pokémon glow before?” Ninetales said.

“You saved me and you made lots of light. You are from this world that has light, too. You have to be the Radiant One! You are the only one who can save my world,” the Pokémon said.

“He’s probably delirious from the hunger and the cold. Poor thing,” Ninetales said.

“Guys,” Prem hissed, half turned back.

“… Prem?” Morgrem said after a moment.

The Pikachu ignored them. “Please calm down and start from the top.”

“I came from a place that doesn’t have light. You cannot see your hand in front of your face because it is so dark. But I found a special Pokémon from a place called Etheria. I want to find that Pokémon so that I can ask it save my world. The story called it the Radiant One,” the Pokémon said.

Prem’s heart raced. His thoughts returned to the excitement he struggled to hold in when he saw the ice mosaic. Only now, it was a hyperactive realisation that had him speechless. When he asked for the story, he didn’t expect to be told everything he had heard before. “ _Okay, Prem. Keep it steady now. We can help this Pokémon._ ”

He opened his mouth to reply, and then thought twice. There were bigger questions, such as what all this meant, or why this Pokémon was frozen. Settling on a thought, he nodded and smiled. “Okay. We’ll help you.”

“You will? Yay!” the Pokémon said.

“We will?” the others said.

“I’m not the Radiant One. But I’ve heard of it before,” Prem said. He tried to stay calm, but his fingers wouldn’t stop fidgeting.

“You have? I mean I shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s just like you to believe this,” Morgrem said. “What do we do?”

“You’re not going to question me on it?” he said.

“Please, it’s you. How many times have we pondered over ancient folklore and struck gold?” She winked.

“Your track record will always hold our trust. So don’t waver,” Raboot said. “What do we do, leader?”

“You guys… okay. We have to find the Radiant One, of course. And for something like that, we need all the help we can get.” Prem turned away, and the room became quiet. The others shuffled after a moment, their faces concentrated.

“Leos,” Morgrem said. Prem’s hands became fists for good. “You’re going to ask Leos for help, aren’t you?”

“ _That’s the best I can do._ ” The thought made him gulp, and a ball of sick churned in his stomach. He couldn’t even respond to the question, and blinked away the feeling of oncoming tears. As if sensing his turmoil, Raboot walked into his view and gave him a fiery glare.

“You don’t have to do what you don’t want to do,” he said, his tone stale and words just loud enough to be heard. “Are you going to be alright?”

“I… I will. Sorry about that,” Prem said just as quietly. He shook his head and turned to the purple Pokémon. “I’ve heard of the legend of the Radiant One before. I didn’t think it was real, but you know it, and the story is exactly the same as what I know.”

“You are super nice. I really like you,” the Pokémon said.

“We can’t help you directly, but I’ll take you to a Pokémon that can help you. His name is Leos. He knows lots about old legends and stuff. He’ll know exactly where to start looking,” Prem said. “Until then, please stick with us.”

“Yes, Daddy!” the Pokémon said, hands on its hips.

Prem flinched. “Daddy? Wa-wait a minute, where did that come from?”

“You are a super nice Pokémon, and I really like you. So I really love you! You will be my Daddy,” the Pokémon said. Prem’s team were jaw-dropped, and glanced at him.

“Slow down, back up a few steps. I’m too young to be a dad! And that’s not how it works. I don’t even know what species you are,” Prem said.

“I am called Poipole. But I want you to give me a name. Please give me a name, Daddy.” Poipole flew right up to him.

“This can’t be happening,” Prem whispered. He couldn’t close his mouth, leading the others to give him sly looks.

“Well then, better get to it, _daddy_ ,” Ninetales said, half-lidded.

“And take good care of him, too,” Morgrem said.

“Guys, please,” Prem sighed and slumped. “Are you for real? I just met you, why would I give you a name?”

“Because I really love you. I want the person I call Daddy to give me a name.”

“ _Wait a minute. I guess this Pokémon is an orphan? They’re just not being very clear about it,_ ” Prem thought. Poipole patiently stared at him. An innocent smile never left its face. “ _It doesn’t seem like they could mean any harm, either. It’s unusual, but if we’re going to be travelling together, then it at least smooths things out._ ”

“What’s wrong with the name Poipole?” Prem said.

“Poipole is my Pokémon name, like yours is… er, what Pokémon did you say you are called again?” Poipole said.

“Pikachu. I’m Prem, the Pikachu,” he said.

“Pikachu! Poipole is my Pokémon name, like yours is Pikachu. But I want a special name. Everyone in a family has a special name,” Poipole said.

“Why not these guys? They saved you too, you know.” Prem turned to everyone else, but they all shook their heads or turned away.

“But you saved me more,” Poipole whined. “You saved me from the ice, the hungry, and now you are helping me find the Radiant One. Pikachu, you would be the best Daddy, and the one I love the most.”

“If you’re really, absolutely okay with that, then… Laurent,” Prem said. His team were surprised.

“Lor-roont?” Poipole said.

“Laurent. Call you Lau for short. That’s your name. Laurent the Poipole. And you can call me Prem, too. I’m Prem, Prem the Pikachu.”

“But it is rude to call Daddy by their real name! Daddy is okay.” Laurent bounced.

“Please please please don’t call me that in public.” Prem slumped.

“I’m so happy though. I have a name now. I like it, I like it I like I like, hallelujah!” Laurent cheered.

“I really don’t want anyone to call me daddy,” Prem sighed. “ _What am I doing? I’m not good enough to be a father._ ”

“You really played along. Why the name Laurent?” Morgrem said, a claw on her hip.

“It means ‘the bright, shining one’. They’re a little Pokémon that’s come from a world of darkness, hoping to save it by getting light. That’s fitting, don’t you think?” Prem smiled. “Sorry if that’s a little corny. I’m superstitious like that.”

“Yes, you are. But if this is real, then that means something dangerous is afoot. A world of darkness, that a mere child has come as a messenger to warn us of,” Morgrem said. Prem frowned.

“That’s why we should bring Leos into this. I’m hoping it’s nothing big, but whatever it means,” he said. “So don’t worry about me when it comes to Leos. This is important, so I have to—"

A loud thump and a cry sounded out, and they all turned to see Laurent had hit their head on the ceiling again. He slowly floated down with eyes a daze, where Prem caught him. He’d warmed up enough for contact not to hurt anymore, to his surprise. All he had left were aches and bruises.

“It means we’re probably going to have to get a hole in the roof,” Ninetales said.

“We’re not getting a retractable roof! Especially not in this weather.”


	2. Partners Reunited! The New Lives of Two Young Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prem discovered an unusual pokemon frozen in ice deep in dark caves of a frigid region, and to his surprise, it was still alive! The creature promptly titles him 'Daddy' and relays its objective: find the legendary 'Radiant One' and bring light back its own world...  
> With the mysterious, unknown species Poipole in tow, Prem braves returning to the town of Halcandra in search of his older partner who can help shed light on the legend. However, even with a clear objective, meeting an ex is never easy...

****

**Episode 2: Partners Reunited! The New Lives Of Two Young Heroes**

It had been a year since Prem had last been in Halcandra, the town at the foot of Eris’ royal castle. Back then, the town was a barely functioning collection of cave habitats. Being surrounded by wild mountains and an active volcano meant that it was always dark, hot, and sooty, with a toxic, ash-filled stench in the air.

So when he arrived now with Laurent in tow, he had to stop dead still and ask himself several times over if he was in the right place. The mountains were there, but they weren’t familiar at all. Not with all the smiles, laughter, and festivities closer by.

“I can’t believe it.” Prem stumbled a bit, mouth agape. The town had an iron arch with ‘welcome to Halcandra’ written on it. Colours were bright and clean. The sky was clear and the sun was out, yet the wind was cool and pleasant. Buildings made of brick, stone, and other modern materials were all over, creating streets and roads. Everything had festive banners, flags, balloons, and similar strung to it, too.

“There are so many Pokémon! I cannot count,” said Laurent, a mile away from him. Prem only heard their voice in the distance and jumped.

“Lau, please don’t run off,” he said as he caught up. He had to give a family of Azumarill a friendly smile and wave since they gave him a weirded-out look. He kept up a nervous smile until they went away. “ _Great first impression, Prem_.”

“Bye bye!” Laurent waved.

“Lau, remember that you’re a species that not many Pokémon have seen before. You’ll scare them if you just go up to strangers like that.” Prem waggled a finger at them.

“Uwa! I do not want to scare no one. I am sorry.” Lau hugged him.

“It’s alright. Just stick beside me, please,” he said. They were in the centre of a town square, complete with a fountain, cobble roads, and a fair share of trees and grass patches. Groups of Pokémon just like the Azumarill family occupied every corner and road, happily chatting away, singing, and enjoying the peppy atmosphere.

“There are fairies,” Prem whispered to himself as he realised the Azumarill wasn’t the only one. “There are actually fairies this close to Castle Eris, a town of dragons.”

“Are fairies not allowed here?” Laurent asked.

“Well they are, but they didn’t used to be. And in general, Eris is a kingdom ruled by dragons. Fairies don’t normally like it, and fairies don’t like the dragons here,” he explained as he wandered around.

“Um, Daddy? I have the hungry.” Laurent got his attention after a moment.

“You’re a real glutton, you know that? We ate before we came here.” He raised an eyebrow. Laurent answered with a nervous frown and a rub of their belly. “We’ll get something soon. Right now, we need to find Leos.”

“Oh oh oh, Leos is here? Is Leos in this town?” They beamed up.

“He should be. I have to remember where he is,” Prem said. He scanned the area once more, and then consulted a map on a bulletin board. “ _This place is way different to what it used to be. This map doesn’t even look like it covers the whole town._ ”

“Where is Leos? Do you know where to find him, Daddy?” Laurent floated beside him with a hand on their lip.

The question made Prem shut his eyes to think hard. The obvious suggestion to search for the prince would be the castle, but knowing Leos, he was bound to be somewhere else. His old knowledge was all he had to go off.

“Are you hot?” Laurent asked.

Prem jolted back into focus. Wearing his poncho in this climate was beginning to make him sweat, but he wouldn’t take it off, especially not with the bruises from his last mission. The thought made him tug at the wings of his poncho and make sure his tail was still tucked inside the thing.

He turned back to the map. “ _At this time of the day, on this day of the week, if Leos still sticks to his usual routine, he would be training at the dojo. And Leos prefers to use the public dojo, so that means…_ ”

He had been tracing the map and the key the whole time. When he found the very dojo he was thinking about, his eyes gleamed. It was nearby, too. “Got it. We can go.”

He stuck a hand out and nearly toppled over since Laurent wasn’t there. The Poipole was already off in the distance again, this time in the opposite direction to where they needed to go. Prem stumbled after them in worry until some market stands came into view, and he felt himself sweat out of relief.

“Lau, I told you to stay by me,” he said as he popped up behind them. Laurent didn’t seem to notice him, fixated on a popcorn machine as it cooked the kernels right in front of them. “Lau?”

“It looks so yummy,” Lau drooled.

“It’s just popcorn. It’s not very filling. We should get proper food before snacks.”

“But it looks so yummy,” Lau whined.

“Hahahaha, the kid yours?” The Magmar manning the stand got his attention. Prem didn’t blame Laurent for being attracted, either. The entire street smelt of delicious open fire cooking, and this stand had little cups of popcorn set out that made him peckish just looking at.

“Try some!” an Alcremie said, presenting a cup to him. He had never seen a sweet like this before. Buckets of coloured popcorn caked in thick, creamy, colourful whip. He could just imagine the rich taste made addictive by the soft crunches hidden in the middle, and licked his lips. With a joyful sigh, he knew he had been defeated.

Minutes later and they were on the road to the dojo, Laurent’s head buried in a bucket while Prem blankly dipped a hand into his own. He was too busy admiring everything he passed to eat properly. Now that they were out of the entryway and a further into the local section of the town, the buildings started to look more like Pokémon habitats. Even so, they were miles better than the crudely dug caves he was expecting to see. Decorated domes each with their own little garden at the front was the new standard, it seemed.

Laurent’s content face-stuffing occupied the quiet over here, while the decorations were a lot less extravagant, but still present. The dojo stood out too, being a perfectly rectangular hall that stretched across the space of two habitats. The moment it was within reach, Prem felt his heart grow heavy. He handed his popcorn to Laurent, who happily dug in without question.

“ _Leos is in here,_ ” he thought, almost wanting to be wrong. He stood still and looked up at the structure looming over him. He didn’t care that he was hot now, he had to pull his poncho inwards to hug himself. “ _A full year. A full year since then. You horrible guy. Do I even want to do this?_ ”

“You were right, it is not very filling.” Laurent popped up beside him. The little Poipole’s messy face brought a smile to his own. He wiped the cream off with a hand and let Laurent lick it clean.

“ _No. This is not about me. This is about Laurent and the Radiant One. I have to see him,_ ” he thought. With a nod and a sigh, he entered.

Soft floor. Dim lighting thanks to tiny candles. The complete and utter silence of a lack of presence. There was nothing there but a desk with a book on it, and a stepladder for getting up to the desk. The main hall was somewhere in the back, but Prem couldn’t hear anything from it.

“Oh no, it is dark in here. Would Leos really be here?” Laurent floated closer to him. Prem instinctively held their hand, which seemed to calm the Poipole.

“Be with you in a second!” a woman’s voice called from the back room.

“Oh, there is someone!” Laurent squeaked. A minute later, a Wobbuffet emerged and waved to them.

“Sorry for the wait! If you were hoping to use the facility, I’m afraid it’s fully booked for the day. Royal orders,” she said.

“ _Royal orders. I was right._ ” Prem tensed up.

“Oh? Wait,” Wobbuffet said. In a flash, she waddled up to touching distance and leaned right over the duo. “Hmm. Let me get a good look at you.”

Prem didn’t know what to say or do besides lean back and grit his teeth, his eyes wide and body barely balanced. Laurent didn’t seem bothered though, and blew raspberries.

“I was right. I wasn’t mistaken! I can’t believe it’s you, Master Prem. Forgive me for not recognising you right away. It’s been so long!” She backed off and bowed to him. “Please please, if anyone is welcome here now, it’s you. Right this way, Prince Leos will be very happy to see you.”

Prem gulped and corrected his appearance. “ _Happy isn’t the word I’d use._ ”

“Mister Leos? Is Mister Leos really here?” Laurent said.

“Yes. He comes here every week to train with the locals and any travellers. But this week they had to book the entire dojo hall for a private session,” Wobbuffet said as she led them through the hall. It was even dimmer than the entrance, but brighter at the training area. The soft flooring turned into tatami mat with patterns drawn on it, which directed them to an open set of double doors.

“I’ll leave you to it, Master Prem.” Wobbuffet bowed as she left them there. Prem stuck a hand out in not wanting her to leave, sighed, and then stepped through with a wary gaze.

The hall was huge, split into an indoor and outdoor area by a wall of open shutters. Both sections had everything he assumed Pokémon would need for training: an arena marked into the floor, blocks for terrain, climbing apparatus’, weights and padded shields, and more tools he had to guess the function of. The lack of sunlight caused the area to be notably chilly, but none of the Pokémon here seemed to be bothered by it.

Prem could recognise all but one of the few Pokémon here. The new face was a Clefairy with a huge purple bow tied to its tail, who stood outside the arena with a rigid, intense glare. Opposite her was a mega evolved Audino who also looked to be observing the battle about to take place. The combatants were a chubby Espurr with some unusual features, and the very Pokémon he had been dreading seeing, an Oshawott.

The Oshawott and Espurr flew into battle, dashing across the arena in seconds. Both combatants held wooden training staves, and clashed hard enough that a violent snap came from their impact. Oshawott was undeterred however, and spun to slash at the Espurr before they could move into a new attack.

Espurr shifted into a defensive stance to block his attack, but the impact made her stagger back with a grunt. Oshawott didn’t stop there, though. He held his weapon tight as he roared and threw his body into a flurry of slashes and swipes at wicked force. All Espurr could do was back away as she held her weapon defensively, and still each hit had her bending and leaning every which way. Soon they were at the edge of the arena, where Oshawott jumped back and quickly let out a Water Gun.

“Whoa,” Laurent said, eyes glued to the spectacle. Prem relaxed upon feeling his hand get squeezed, and spared them a glance.

The battle wasn’t over. Espurr growled and grunted as she stood her ground against the force of the Water Gun, but just as she was about to get shoved out of the arena, she ducked and dove to the right to avoid rest of the attack. Oshawott flinched, giving her an opening to charge forward. She threw her body into him with a shoulder tackle, and then charged after him as he rolled back into the centre of the room. She raised her weapon as she neared, crying out in increasing volume. All Oshawott could do was grit his teeth and hold his weapon in defence.

“Cease! Stop fighting!” Audino shouted. Everyone froze instantly, Espurr balancing on one foot while leaned over Oshawott. Both combatants remained in their position for a moment, and then Espurr suddenly lost her balance and fell right on top of him.

“A-ah, Griselle, stop it- you’re heavy!” Leos coughed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Griselle squeaked, and rolled off. They were on their backs staring at the ceiling for a moment, and then broke into laughter.

“Lord Leos, please, must you embarrass yourself still? This may be a private session, but it would not kill you to take it seriously.” Clefairy skipped over to them. Prem was surprised to hear that she didn’t sound much older than himself, though she possessed the exact tone expected of a noble lady.

“It’s okay, I’m taking it seriously. Just, haha, Griselle, you can be so silly sometimes,” Leos said as he got to his feet. He helped her up, though she seemed a little disappointed.

“Daddy, what Pokémon is that?” Laurent whispered with a point. It took Prem a moment to realise they were pointing at the Espurr.

“Even you noticed how off she was,” he mumbled. “That’s Griselle. She is a hybrid Pokémon, a fusion of two different species. Don’t bring it up, it’s rude.”

“Oh no. I do not want to be rude to her.”

The duo watched as the mega Audino and Clefairy addressed the two fighting Pokémon, discussing the battle and training that Prem wasn’t here to see. But for Prem, it was a good look at a duo he hadn’t seen in a year. He felt emptier the longer he watched them mingle, and prepared to walk out without saying a thing to them.

Griselle was a hybrid of an Oshawott and an Espurr, although she mostly took the traits of an Espurr. She had smoky aqua fur that sprung off in chaotic curls across her head and body, and a plump form befitting a water type more than a psychic one. Her nose, ears, tail, and the shape of her eyes all belonged to an Oshawott, while the rest of her features were pure Espurr.

Leos on the other hand, he was the one that had Prem close to crying. He was also a hybrid, and perhaps that was what had him so attracted to Griselle. He wasn’t even part Espurr, he was Oshawott and Clefairy, but entirely Oshawott in appearance.

He was taller than the average Oshawott and maintained a young complexion. He grew a ton of extra fur on his head, which he had styled into loose, shoulder-length bangs coupled with a beautiful ponytail. Only his ears poked through. He didn’t wear any accessories that would hint at him being royalty, either. Even after all this time, the passionate expressions of this prince hadn’t gone anywhere, and seeing them in reality brought on all manner of powerful feelings.

He couldn’t think straight. He stood and watched in silence as the group continued their training session. He never took his eyes off them or let go of Laurent, who thankfully cooperated with him in staying quiet and still.

“So I would suggest thinking ahead when confronting the opponent. Don’t think about what you need to do to defeat them. Think about what _they_ can do to stop you from winning, and prepare accordingly,” Audino said.

“I understand. If I can predict what the opponent might do, I can continue to apply pressure with my own attacks. This is especially important when terrain comes into play,” Leos replied. Audino nodded.

“I hate having to cut things off here when it looks like you’re having so much fun, but we’ll have to stop here for today. Excellent work, you two.” Audino nodded.

“We’re stopping early because?” Leos tilted his head.

“Because of your meeting with his and her highness, Lord Leos. I’m starting to feel like you would forget your head if I were not here to remind you,” Clefairy said, hands on her hips.

“Well pardon me for not prioritising. They haven’t told me what this meeting’s for even though they called me all the way back here. And it can’t be very important if I’m still allowed to be out training,” he said. “But never mind. Griselle, let’s try one more thing before we finish.”

“Lord Leos!” Clefairy cried.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be quick!” he said as he positioned himself behind Griselle, who looked at him nervously. “Give us a Hydro Pump. Your best effort!”

“But I can barely do Pokémon moves,” she said.

“You’ve been training super hard lately, and you’ve done it before. Trust me, I bet you can pull it off,” he smiled.

“But, I, um—”

“Won’t you try? For me?” he said. She rubbed her face and moaned, turning to face one of the targets at the far end of the hall. Leos planted himself behind her, arms stretched forward as if to catch her. “You know what to do. Just well up all the energy within you and blast it all out at once! No holding back.”

She sighed at the suggestion, but did just that. She leaned forward and then stood straight a few times as if stretching. Being fat didn’t stop her belly from visibly inflating. She leaned back as water welled her up huge, that soon showed in her cheeks, and then was fired out in a torrential jet. The target she was aiming at was snapped to pieces even though her attack hit the corner of it. The recoil from the blast sent her whole body flying back too, where Leos failed to catch her even though he was in position. The two of them fell back to the floor with a painful thud.

It took her a moment to realise she was on top of him, and blinked twice. “Again?”

“You seem to like this position, ha ha.” He laughed.

“Leos!” she squeaked.

“But see, you can do it. It’s super powerful, too. I’m pretty sure you broke the target from a further distance than me,” Leos said. He was sat back and half-hugging her from behind. She didn’t seem to mind, though her cheeks did grow a little rosy as she smiled back at him.

“I took extra-long to charge, though. Oh and don’t be like that, I missed, too.” She turned away.

“It’s Hydro Pump. It’s not easy for anyone to direct,” he said as they brushed themselves off and stood up, paws lightly holding one another.

“Oh Leos, you’re just saying that.” She looked away.

“Frankly, I am impressed you managed to use a Pokémon attack in the first place, let alone Hydro Pump. You’re good for more than distracting Master Leos,” Clefairy said. Griselle’s smile faded instantly.

“Ignoring the underlying comment, what she says is true. Until recently, you weren’t able to use Pokémon attacks at all, and Leos couldn’t do a thing without succumbing to fatigue. Now here you are, bursting with energy after a full training session. You two are coming into your own.” Audino patted them both on the head. “So take the praise. That was an excellent Hydro Pump, Griselle.”

“Th-thank you.” The hybrid twiddled her paws. She couldn’t look anyone in the eye.

“Now, if we may be on our way. I believe we will be seeing you later, Iola?” Clefairy said.

“I’m actually coming with you. I was called to join you for some reason.” Audino bowed.

“Well there’s a hint. Now I’m more convinced it’s something stupid,” Leos said.

Then it happened. The whole group turned in Prem’s direction at once, and everything seemed to freeze right there. The Pikachu felt himself stop breathing completely, yet all nerves forced him to gulp and stiffen. Laurent even let go of him to float away, leaving him alone with his thoughts as he stared directly into Leos’ eyes. His heart raced, his eyes wavered, and his mind was blank.

“Is that? It can’t be,” Leos mumbled as he took a step. “I-it is. I can’t believe it!”

His heart was about to jump out of his chest as the Oshawott came running. He gasped as Leos jumped right into him, wrapping his arms around Prem’s back to twirl him around with a jovial laugh. By sheer instinct, Prem accepted the cuddle and allowed himself to be spun. They stayed like that for what felt like minutes, long enough for all of his familiarity to come flooding back.

That fine fur coat. That delicate touch. That water type coolness his body always gave off. And the confidence and pride he exuded when he refused to hold back on scenes like this. Leos was right here in his arms, and he was the same beautiful Oshawott he had ever been. Prem couldn’t help himself, and tears began to well up in his eyes. He blinked those away quickly though, so his eyes were dry when Leos stepped away from the hug.

“You’re here. Father said you would come, and you really did,” Leos said, holding Prem’s hands in his own. Prem still didn’t know what to say, though his feelings were starting to level. Before he could say anything, Leos let out a yelp. Clefairy yanked him back by the ear and Prem was left with an arm hung out.

“Kristen, what in the world?” Leos cried.

“Focus, Lord Leos. We have things to do, important things,” Clefairy said, hands on her hips. “Please try to remember that when you goof off and miss scheduled meetings, it is me that has to work it all off.”

“Ah I know, but I already said I would repay you. This is important,” he scratched the back of his head.

“However important it is, you can mingle with the commoners another time. If we do not leave now, we will be late.”

“Commoners? Prem is not a ‘commoner’! This is really important Kristen, don’t try to take this from me.”

“And what about me, huh? How many other ‘really important’ inconveniences are going to pop up before you start treating me with respect?”

“Oh not this again.”

“Don’t you ‘not this again’ me! I don’t want to have to parent you, but the more irresponsible you behave at times like this, the more I will have to step in.”

“You’re always like this. I didn’t ask for it.”

Prem stepped back, more confused than ever as two Pokémon bickered louder and louder. Sneaking a glance at Griselle and Iola, he could see that even they were embarrassed watching them. Laurent finally flew back into view and started giggling.

“Aww, they are in love!” Laurent pointed at them.

“Laurent!” Prem hissed.

“Love?” Leos and Kristen shouted in sync.

“It’s not love! We’re not—” Leos cried, and then froze. He gawked at Prem and Laurent’s silent squabble, and tripped forward. “A-ah wait a minute. You’re a Poipole?”  
Prem and Laurent were the shocked ones, now. “You know what a Poipole is?”

“Yes but, er, I came across it through research. But it actually exists?” Leos asked. He put a hand up to Laurent’s cheek, but they shifted away to hug up to Prem. “Are you really a Poipole?”

“I am a Poipole, but my name is Laurent. Daddy gave me that name, and that is what you need to call me. I am called Laurent.”

“Daddy?” Leos said. Prem groaned and palmed his face.

“Master Leos—” Kristen stepped in.

“No! Just stop already, this is really, _really_ important right now,” Leos shouted. “Right, uh, I guess we have a lot to talk about.”

And just like that, reality came right back to Prem, and his body tensed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here, because of Laurent. Nothing else.”

“I actually can’t believe you found a Poipole. I heard you were really making a name for yourself, but this takes the crown,” Leos said, jaw-dropped by the creature.

“Laurent isn’t a trophy, you know. They’re more important than that. Laurent, this is Leos. He’s… a very important prince. Tell him everything you told me, and he should be able to help you.”

“Everything?” Laurent replied.

“Start from the top. The Radiant One, the dark world, you frozen in ice, all of it.” Prem said. Every word widened Leos’ mouth further.

“Including the yummy popcorn?”

“Maybe leave out that part. And the ‘daddy’ part, too.” Prem scratched his face.

“Radiant One? Dark world?” Leos said. He went quiet and stared at Prem, who refused to make eye contact. “Um, I’ve been called to the castle, so can we walk and talk?”

“Not surprised you don’t have time,” Prem said.

“Not really my choice.” Leos shook his head.

…

A short while later, Prem and this large group were on the way towards Castle Eris. On the northern end of the town was a valley path leading right to the castle, a rocky, uphill road where the region started to look more like the Eris Prem knew. The further north they went, the whiter the mountains became, and not due to ice or snow. It was actually still quite cool and summery like the town was.

“Like Prem says, I know about the legend of the Radiant One and the world of darkness,” Leos said. He led the group with a confident march, but his new retainer, Kristen, kept beside him the whole time. “I’m not saying I didn’t believe in it, but I can’t believe I’m hearing about it now. And that it is literally a world that’s so dark that you can’t see your hand in front of your face.”

Prem didn’t say anything as he was focused ahead. You used to have to climb a mountain to reach Castle Eris, since it was built into the side of a mountain and dug entirely out of caves. Now, there was a public path that led right to it, though that path was still surrounded by unforgiving mountains. As the royal castle came into view, it was still clearly built into the mountains, though it was no longer as camouflaged as it once was.

“It sounds like one scary place, don’t you think?” Leos said. The words snapped Prem back to reality, and he shook himself.

“But do you know anything more? Laurent is counting on you, here,” he said.

“Not much more than they’ve told us, I’m afraid.” Leos folded his arms. “I didn’t really read through the book properly. It was just something I came across while exploring in the Second Country. But hey, don’t get disheartened. It’s a good kick for a quest, and the perfect chance for us to catch up.”

“Catch up?” Prem said.

“My Lord, I would temper those expectations if I were you. This meeting today is likely for something of importance,” Kristen said.

“It won’t be. If Mother and Father are involved, it never is.” Leos let his arms hang loose. “But enough of the business talk. How are things in general? All I know is what they say about your team, Prem.”

“This is important though, Leos.” Prem raised his voice. Laurent put a hand on his lip. “It’s like I said, I’m only here to find out if you can help Laurent. If you can’t, then we need to start looking elsewhere.”

Leos made a face, and just like that, Prem could feel guilt well up within. It hurt to act like this, but it hurt even more to pretend that everything was cool between them. The Oshawott grumbled something and stopped completely.

“Hey can I get a minute, please?” he said.  
“We do not have time, my Lord,” Kristen said.

“Well then they have to make time. I’m sure they—”

“We cannot do that! My Lord, _you_ must be the one to make time after this. If you could just focus on this one task for once, I would not have to push you so. Again, you make my life hard when you decide to change plans.” She raised her voice as she snatched him by the arm. “And it is not just mine, but many other royals and leaders. You are the prince! And you are fully aware of where you stand and what kind of prince.”

Prem groaned when they broke into a squabble again, surprised to have Griselle and Iola join him in feeling awkward. Leos and Kristen didn’t even take notice of that everyone had stopped, and stormed ahead while barking comments at each other. Prem watched them drag each other ahead with a sigh.

“When did he get like this?” Prem asked. He didn’t take his eyes off Leos once.

“Ever since Kristen joined. I know what you’re thinking, Leos wouldn’t normally let the royals control him like that. I’ve been worried for a while.” Griselle put her hands together.

“Then why don’t you say something?” he turned to her.

“Me? I’m just a hybrid, I don’t have a say in any of that,” she said. Prem thought to drill her, but the miserable look on her face changed his mood completely. “Maybe there’s something about Kristen that I don’t know about. She should be totally the kind of Pokémon he hates, but he keeps her around still.”

“That is what Pokémon in love do, do not they?” Laurent giggled.

“Do not they?” Griselle tilted her head.

“Lau means ‘don’t they’. Lau speaks a bit funny. Etherian isn’t their first language,” he said.

“Oh, okay. You’re a curious little fella, aren’t you?” she smiled, lifting a hand to tickle them. They shifted away though, cuddling up to Prem.

“I am sorry. I did not say something rude again, did I?” Laurent said.

“You didn’t, you’re okay. And it’s fine to let them touch you, too. Griselle’s an old friend.” Prem smiled.

“We shouldn’t get left behind.” Iola brought their attention to the gap between their groups. Leos had truly left them behind, so the group nodded and jogged after them.

“So much for being happy to see me,” Prem muttered.

They at least waited for Prem and the others to catch up before going into the castle, where they each got a salute from the two Zoroark guards at the entryway. White rock made the walls and ceiling, but the floor was soft and carpeted, which made Laurent curious enough to float down and walk on their feet. They seemed to enjoy the plush feel, so Prem relaxed a bit.

“I’m so sorry about this, you two. You should come with me, though. I’m sure once Mother and Father see Prem and hear your story, they’ll shorten things and let us focus,” Leos said.

“Do whatever you have to do.” Prem went quiet.

He was never comfortable around castles, and that was despite having access to them thanks to Leos. He was familiar with their polished walls and myriad of rooms, but he could never get a homely feeling from one, even with this old friend at his side again. Not even a personal room of his own felt like home. That was too important for him.

So this place rubbed him the wrong way, and hard. Besides the guards at the door and the aroma of a fancy meal from the kitchens, he couldn’t see anyone else. A nervous glance down the hallways he passed and the stairs ahead yielded nothing. A lack of Pokémon combined with a maze-like structure triggered all the warnings of a mystery dungeon, yet Leos directed them as if this was normal.

“They’re in the throne room. Follow me,” Leos said.

“It is lonely in here.” Laurent pointed out.

“Thank you, I’m not the only one who noticed,” Prem said as he walked backwards briefly. “Is there something going on?”

“I wouldn’t know, and to be completely honest, I couldn’t care less. I haven’t actually been back here for a few months,” Leos said. Contrary to what he just said, he directed the group through the halls like he knew the place off by heart.

“This is your first time back in here in a few months, yet it doesn’t concern you that the place is completely empty besides the guards at the front?” Prem slowed down. “Something serious could have happened.”

“I must admit, I was not expecting this,” Kristen said. She slowed down to observe, and Leos only slowed when he realised how wary everyone was becoming. “I can’t hear anyone. My Lord, please be on your guard.”

“U-um, Daddy, is it okay to be scared?” Laurent huddled close to Prem again.

“It shouldn’t be anything bad, but if anything happens, I’ll keep you safe. I promise.” Prem patted them on the side. “ _That said, it takes a lot of work getting the entire castle to be silent like this. The town seemed okay, so what does all this mean?_ ”

“Stick together. We’ll start with the throne room,” Leos said slowly. He rubbed his face and brushed fur out of his eyes, and now kept a hand by his scalchop as he walked. Kristen kept in front of him, too.

“ _Great. What’ve I stepped into this time?_ ” Prem thought as he shook his head and joined them. He kept a paw by Laurent in just as much defence.


End file.
